Mining-machine truck.



E. L. HOPKINS.

MINING MACHINE TRUCK.

APPLICATION FlLED SVEPT. I2, 1912.

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MINING MACHINE TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-12.1912. RENEWED ocr. 13. m5.

3 Patented May 23, 1916.

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EDWARD L. HOPKINS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JEFFREY MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MINING-MACHINE TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed September 12, 1912, Serial No. 719,898. Renewed October 13,1915. Serial No. 55,743.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining-Machine Trucks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in mining apparatus, and more especially in mining apparatus comprising a cutting ma chine and a wheeled truck, upon which the machine can be supported for purposes of transportation. An apparatus of the class to which my invention relates is provided with mechanism for transmitting power from the electric motor of the mining machine to the truck Wheels to drive them and propel the truck, and is also provided with a power driven rotatable reel upon which is wound an electric cable for supplying current to the motor.

The object of my invention is" to provide an improved mechanism for transmitting the power of the motor to the truck wheels and to the reel, and an improved means for controlling the action of the power transmitting mechanism.

Of theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate the embodiment of my invention, which I now deem preferable, Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view through the driving shaft, the view being partly in section and partly in elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 1-4 of Fig. 3, some of the parts being broken away in order that others may be more clearly shown.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents as a whole the truck frame which comprises two parallel side members 22, which are adapted to serve as gillides or skids along which the mining mac ine can be moved in the manner to be described. The frame 1 is mounted upon transverse axles 3 and 4,

each of which is provided track wheels 55.

The axle 3 is rotatable in suitable bearings on the frame and is rigidly connected with its track wheels. .The axle 4 is cranked and the corresponding wheels 5, 5 are rotatably mounted on the crank ends of the axle. The axle can be oscillated in suitable bearings on M the frame and this oscillation is controlled end of the cable and by causing line by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The mining machlne is provided with an electric motor 9, having a longitudinally arranged shaft 10, whlch is provided at its outer end with a clutch element 11.

12 represents the cutter mechanism of the mining machine, this comprising a chain connected 'to be driven by the motor 9. Mounted upon the mining machine, preferably at the front end, is a winding drum 13, which isconnected so that it can be driven by the motor. A cable 14 is connected with the drum to be Wound thereon, and means are provided on the truck at 15 for the attachment of the free end of the cable. The machine can be drawn onto the truck along the guides or skids 2, 2 by attaching the the cable to be wound upon the drum 13. s the mining machine draws itself up on the truck, in this way it engages the cross-bar 7 and moves it rearward. This movement of the cross-bar '2' causes the axle f to be turned and the forward end of the truck to be raised. a At the-rear end of the truck is a transverse shaft 16 mounted in suitable bearings 17, 17 and 18, secured to the truck frame. At one end of the shaft 16 there is secured a sprocket wheel 19 which is in alinement wlth a similar sprocket wheel 20 ings on the casting 22 is a longitudinal shaft 23 provided at its forward end with a clutch element 24, adapted to mesh with the clutch element 11 on the motor shaft 10 when the mining" machine is in place on the truck. Secured to the shaft 23 is a worm 25, which meshes with a worm wheel 26, rotatably mounted on the shaft 16. The worm wheel 26 may be opcratively connected with the shaft 16 by means of a clutch of the wellknown friction disk type. This clutch 27 brake Wheel 30, which is engaged by a friction brake band 31. One end of this brake band is adjustably secured at 32, and the other end of the brake band is pivotally connected at 33 with an arm 34 secured to a short transverse rock shaft 35, mounted in suitable bearings on the casting 22. The rock shaft 35 also carries an upstanding arm 36, which is adapted to be engaged'by a cam '37 on a collar 38, loosely mounted on the shaft 16. The collar 38 can be moved by means of a hand lever 39, and it will be ob-- vious that by moving the hand lever and the collar the cam 37 can'engage the arm 36 to move it to tighten the brake band 31. The casting 22 at points adjacent the bearing 17 is provided with a series of inclined teeth 41, and the collar 38 is provided with a series. of similarly inclined teeth 42 adapted to mesh with the teeth 41. The collar 38 has formed upon it a flange 43 and between this flange and the plate 28, there is interposed a ball bearing 44. The surfaces of the teeth 41 and 42 are so i nclined that when the collar is rotated in a direction to release the brake, the collar is forced longitudinally of the shaft and its motion is transmitted through the ball bearing 44 to the plate 28 to press together the disks of the clutch 27. When the collar is rotated in the other direction the brake is applied and the clutch is released.

Preferably I provide at the rear of the truck a rotatable reel upon which can be wound an electric conductor cable for the supplying of current to the mining machine motor. When the truck is in use the free end of the cable is connected to a suitable source of electric current supply and the current passes through the cable and from the cable through suitable connections to the motor. Mechanism is provided for automatically winding up the cable on the reel when the truck is advanced toward the point of cable attachment. When the truck is moving away from the point of cable attachment the reel is permitted to turn in the unwinding direction under frictional resistance. In theconstructionwhich I have indicated for purposes of illustration there are provided on the truck two rearward extending reel supporting bars 45, 45, these being preferably angle shaped in cross section. The vertical legs of the angles are provided with notches 46, 46 adapted to receive the ,lower ends of the reel frame 47 which-isin the form of an inverted U. Rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation about a horizontal axis is the reel 48. Secured to one side of the reel is a rope sheave 49 and on the shaft 16 there is provided another rope sheave 50 which alines with the rope sheave 49. An endless rope belt 5.1 passes over the two sheaves and serves not onlyto drive the reel when the shaft is rotated, but

also to support the reel and the reel frame in the position indicated in the drawings.

'52 represents the electric conductor cable which is wound upon the reel.

52 represents the "flexible conductor between the cable and the mining machine motor. Preferably this conductor is of such a length as to permit removal of the machine from the truck without breaking the electrical connection. At 53 a suitable support and guide is provided for controlling the cable.

The sheave 50 is loosely mounted on the shaft 16 and is provided at 54 with clutch teeth adapted to mesh with similar teeth on a clutch element 55 which is splined on the shaft. This clutch element 55 can be slid along the shaft into or out of operative position and is 'frictionally held against accidental movement by the spring clip' 56.

In operation let it be assumed that the mining machine has been loaded onto the truck in the manner described. The mining machine clutch element being in engagement with the clutch element of the truck, power can be directly transmitted from the mining machine motor to the shaft 23 and from it through the worm gearing to the driving element of the clutch 27. lVhen the hand lever 39 is in the position indicated in the drawings, the disks of the clutch are out of forced engagement with. each other and the brake is applied. The mining machine motor can therefore be in operation without any power being transmitted to the truck wheels.

If the truck is to be operated along a section of track provided with a trolley wire, the cable reel need not be rotated. The clutch element 55 is therefore moved to its inoperative position as shown in the drawings. To cause the movement of the machine along the track, the operators helper holds the cable hook against the trolley wire and the operator by moving the lever 39 releases the brake and gradually throws the clutch 27 into operation. Obvlously by varying the pressure on the clutch disks the operator can vary the amount of power transmitted and can vary the speed of travel. When he desires to stop the truck he simply throws the lever 39 in the other direction thus releasing the clutch and applying the brake. When it is desired to enter aside entry or room in which no trolley wire is provided, the end of the cable is connected with a suitable-source of electric energy such as the trolley wire in the main entry, and the clutch element 55 is moved into operative engagement with the drive sheave 50. The truck is then driven as before. The belt 51 serves to drive the reel in the direction to unwind the cable as the truck advances. When the point is reached at which the machineis to be used, it can be unloaded from the truck in the usual manner and the supply of current through the cable can be continued duringthe cutting operation of the machine. When it is desired to bring the truck-and the machine back out of the side entry or room, the truck is driven as before but the direction is reversed by reversing the direction of. rotation of the motor. The rope 51 now drives the reel in the winding direction and the cable is picked up as the truck moves.

In cases in which it is desired to move the truck over considerable distances not provided with trolley wires, the cable can be pulled out some distance in advance by the helper and connected with a suitable source of supply. Then the machine can advance toward this source in the manner described picking up the cable as it goes. When the source is reached the machine can proceed past it, the tension of the cable causing it to be unwound from the reel and paid out. After all of the cable ispaid out, the helper can detach it from thevpoint to which it was connected and carry the end forward to another source of electrical supply and there again connect it after which the operation. just described can be repeated.

I am aware that it has been before proposed to provide a mining machine truck with a friction clutch in the power transmitting connection to the axle and I am also aware that it has been before proposed to provide in. combination with such a frictionally acting power transmitting mechanism a rope driveni cable reel. I do not therefore claim these features as parts of my present invention.

What I claim is:'

1. In a. mining machine truck, the combination of a truck frame having guides for slidably supporting a mining machine, wheels for supporting the frame, a clutch element on the frame adapted to receive power from the mining machine, an intermediate driven shaft on the frame, power connection between the intermediate shaft and the truck wheels, power connections comprising a manually controllable clutch between the first said' clutch element and the intermediate shaft, and a manuall controllable brake supplemental to the c utch and other power transmitting elements for resisting the rotation of the intermediate shaft.

2. In a mining machine truck, the combination of a truck frame having guides for slidably supporting a mining machine,

wheels for supporting the frame, a'clu-tch element on the frame adapted to receive power from the mining machine, an intermediate driven shaft on the frame, a rotatable cable reel on the frame, power conthe intermediate shaft and the truck wheels,

a friction clutch interposed between the driving shaftand the intermediate shaft, a brake for the intermediate shaft, and a single manually movable lever connected with the clutch and the brake for releasingthe clutch and applying the brake orfor. applying the clutch and releasing the brake.

4. In a mining machine truck, the combination of a driving shaft, an intermediate driven shaft, a power connection between the intermediate shaft and the truck wheels, a manually controllable friction clutch in terposed between the driving shaft and the intermediate shaft, a manually controllable brake for the intermediate shaft, a rotatable cable reel, 'an electric conductor cable connected with the reel to be Wound thereon, and a power connection between the said intermediate shaft and the reel.

5. In a mining machine truck, the combination of a driving shaft, an intermediate driven shaft, a power connection-between the intermediate shaft and the truck wheels, a friction clutch interposed between the driving shaft and the intermediate shaft, a brake for the intermediate shaft, a single manually movable lever connected with the clutch and the brake for releasing theclutch and-applying the brake or for applying the.

clutch and releasing the brake, a rotatable cable reel, an electric conductor cable connected with the reel to be wound thereon,

and a power connection between the "said intermediateshaft and the reel.

6. In a mining machine truck, the combinationof a driving shaft, an intermediate driven shaft, a power connection, between the intermediate shaft .and the truck wheels, a friction disk clutch mounted on the interdiate shaft with the driving element operatively connected with the driving shaft, a brake wheel on the intermediate shaft, a brake band on the wheel, a collar rotatably and slidably mounted on the intermediate its shaft adjacent the clutch, a hand lever for rotating the collar, inclined teeth on one side of the collar, similarly inclined stationary teeth adapted-to be engaged by the teeth on the collar when it is rotated, where- 5 by the collar is forced into engagement with the clutch to press the disks together, and a connection between the collar and the brake band whereby the latter is loosened when the clutch is applied and tightened when the clutch is released.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD L. HOPKINS. Witnesss:

W. J. BAWROTH, DUDLEY T. FISHER. 

